Marco Antonio Barrera, an aspiring lawyer in boxing gloves, grew up on movie sets, never worried about money and celebrated winning a world title by contemplating an immediate career change. No, this is not your normal up-from-the-barrio boxing story, and the 21-year-old Barrera, the soft-spoken son of a wealthy Mexico City movie worker, knows it.

The last time Erik Morales was on a significant boxing card, it ended with his fifth loss in six fights and him announcing retirement. As he prepares to walk into the MGM Grand Garden Arena ring in Las Vegas on Saturday night for a pay-per-view junior-welterweight bout opposite Argentina's heavy-hitting Marcos Maidana, Morales is set to discover whether his comeback is remembered as just another sad cash grab or one more thrilling boxing redemption....

Fidel Avendano of Acapulco stopped Armando Campas of Sonora, Mexico, in the sixth round of a 10-round welterweight bout at the Forum, improving his record to 39-2, with 24 knockouts. In a companion 10-round bout, Marco Antonio Barrera improved to 23-0 with a unanimous decision over Ivan Salazar in a battle of Mexico City super-flyweights.

LAS VEGAS -- After USC and UCLA lost on Choke Saturday in Los Angeles college football, the odds seemed to be that the Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera fight would be won by a ring girl. One of the tall blondes had a good first step, after all. If boxing were to be bitten by the Oct. 6 West Coast sports weirdness bug, somebody would have flown into the ring in a kite powered by a fan. Fortunately, there is a roof on the Mandalay Bay Events Center. But boxing didn't stray from the form sheet.

For most boxers, the thought of fighting Manny Pacquiao, a devastating puncher from the Philippines, can cause nightmares. But Marco Antonio Barrera will realize a dream when he fights Pacquiao tonight at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The nightmare for Barrera has been the struggle just to get into the ring with Pacquiao. First, there was Barrera's legal battle to join Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. After months of negotiations, a settlement was reached with his former handlers.

The error that caused Marco Antonio Barrera's split-decision victory over Ricardo "Rocky" Juarez on Saturday night to initially be announced as a draw occurred in the transfer of the judges' scores to the master scorecard, said Armando Garcia, executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission. Judges Ken Morita and Duane Ford each scored the 12th and final round a draw, marking down 10 points for each fighter on their individual scorecards.

The last time Erik Morales was on a significant boxing card, it ended with his fifth loss in six fights and him announcing retirement. As he prepares to walk into the MGM Grand Garden Arena ring in Las Vegas on Saturday night for a pay-per-view junior-welterweight bout opposite Argentina's heavy-hitting Marcos Maidana, Morales is set to discover whether his comeback is remembered as just another sad cash grab or one more thrilling boxing redemption....

There's no need to manufacture animosity between Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera for their rubber match tonight. The feud is real, the mutual lack of respect obvious, the name-calling loud and vicious. There are two tiers of tension in tonight's showdown at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. In the ring, Morales and Barrera will fight for the World Boxing Council's 130-pound title and supremacy in their personal battle, each having beaten the other by decision.

LAS VEGAS -- Marco Antonio Barrera kept talking about saving the best for last in his planned final major fight Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao. It wasn't good enough. Pacquiao, relying on his hand speed and power, landed more punches and won the majority of the fighters' entertaining exchanges en route to a unanimous decision victory in front of 10,112 at Mandalay Bay's Events Center.

LAS VEGAS -- Marco Antonio Barrera kept talking about saving the best for last in his planned final major fight Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao. It wasn't good enough. Pacquiao, relying on his hand speed and power, landed more punches and won the majority of the fighters' entertaining exchanges en route to a unanimous decision victory in front of 10,112 at Mandalay Bay's Events Center.

Confronted with a task more daunting than achieving history, Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night took on Mexico's boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera. By continually beating the aged World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion to the punch in front of 8,127 at Mandalay Bay Events Center, Marquez not only claimed a unanimous decision and the world title, he and his super-bantamweight champion brother Rafael now stand as the first siblings to hold WBC belts simultaneously.

The error that caused Marco Antonio Barrera's split-decision victory over Ricardo "Rocky" Juarez on Saturday night to initially be announced as a draw occurred in the transfer of the judges' scores to the master scorecard, said Armando Garcia, executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission. Judges Ken Morita and Duane Ford each scored the 12th and final round a draw, marking down 10 points for each fighter on their individual scorecards.

For boxer Marco Antonio Barrera, it's about notches. Tonight's main event at Staples Center is a chance to add one of what he hopes will be seven notches to his newest championship belt. For Rocky Juarez, it's about the belt itself, about the chance to finally be recognized as the best in his division. For Barrera, it's about biding time until he again faces Erik Morales or Manny Pacquiao in another career-defining bout.

For Marco Antonio Barrera, this is only a tuneup. With his big victory over Erik Morales in their rubber match last November behind him, and plans for more big-name opponents ahead, Barrera has come to this border town for what figures to be a chance to keep his skills sharp.

There's no need to manufacture animosity between Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera for their rubber match tonight. The feud is real, the mutual lack of respect obvious, the name-calling loud and vicious. There are two tiers of tension in tonight's showdown at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. In the ring, Morales and Barrera will fight for the World Boxing Council's 130-pound title and supremacy in their personal battle, each having beaten the other by decision.

For Marco Antonio Barrera, this is only a tuneup. With his big victory over Erik Morales in their rubber match last November behind him, and plans for more big-name opponents ahead, Barrera has come to this border town for what figures to be a chance to keep his skills sharp.

Mexican featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera wanted to put on a strong showing for his fans Saturday night in his first Los Angeles-area bout in eight years. With a vocal crowd cheering him on, he didn't disappoint. Barrera, 30, showed he still has plenty of boxing left in him by scoring a 10th-round knockout against Paulie Ayala in a non-title bout in front of 5,732 at the Home Depot Center in Carson. Barrera (58-4, 41 knockouts) was the picture of precision.

There's much at stake for Paulie Ayala and Marco Antonio Barrera in their scheduled 12-round featherweight bout Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, and each boxer knows it. The loser might be destined for lesser fights, or retirement. The winner would move a step closer to a possible title shot. "This is one of the most important fights in my career; it's a crossroads fight," Ayala said.